Remove / ignore update reminder to macOS Catalina on Mojave

Here is what worked for me to get rid of the red notification ballon and still have access to System Preferences from the dock.

Replace the Systems Preferences icon on the dock with its Alias:

1. Remove System Preferences icon from dock (either drag icon off dock or right-click on it and choose "Options" and then "Remove from Dock").
2. In a Finder window navigate to the Applications folder, right-click on the Systems Preferences app and choose "Make Alias".
3. Add the alias file to the dock by dragging it to the desired location on the dock.
4. Delete the alias file in the Applications folder (no longer needed).

The alias icon does not include the red notification bubble. The Systems Preference panel will still show the red notification on the Software Update icon.

So this is want you need to enter in Terminal to skip the Catalina update message AND to get rid of the red counter balloon:

sudo softwareupdate --ignore "macOS Catalina"
defaults write com.apple.systempreferences AttentionPrefBundleIDs 0
killall Dock

Sorry - Do not perform step 4 above ("Delete alias file"). The alias file is needed.

When I posted above I hadn't emptied my trash can yet so the alias file was still on the system. As soon as I emptied the trash can the alias icon in the dock no longer worked.

Just do these 3 steps:

1. Remove System Preferences icon from dock (either drag icon off dock or right-click on it and choose "Options" and then "Remove from Dock").
2. In a Finder window navigate to the Applications folder, right-click on the Systems Preferences app and choose "Make Alias".
3. Add the alias file to the dock by dragging it to the desired location on the dock.

Sorry for the confusion.

found out how to reset the red bubble for System Preferences:

In Terminal:

defaults write com.apple.systempreferences AttentionPrefBundleIDs 0
killall Dock

I followed idea on another post on this topic and right clicked the Sys Pref icon in the dock and chose

'remove from dock'. Now use Lauchpad to access System Preferences.

It’s not just a timing issue. In among all of the plusses of the new OS is one big caveat with Catalina … 32 bit applications will no longer work. Granted - these are older applications, but some of s stull have and use them regularly.  Please take a peek at this short support article.  https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT208436 

I did not see it as a problem to summarize both measures that were both needed to get it like it should look.

The red balloon stays away if you leave automatic updates unchecked and if to do not manually enter the update checking.

If you do so you indeed need to execute the last 2 commands every time you check.

Yes, in August. https://helpx.adobe.com/acrobat/kb/mac-64bit-compatibility.html

Good work around. thanks

I guess they didn't like how we were ditching the "OSXNotification.bundle" file to stop the prompts about prior OSX upgrades... so they shifted it into the System Preferences Software Update.

Until some bright hacker figures out a new way to stop these annoying tactics, we will have to sit and see the notification badge (which, if you may notice... System Preferences is NOT listed in the "Notifications" settings to disable badges for! ... *sigh* apple *sigh*).